The College Students Battle for Energy

Emily Baffa

Nov 2, 2022

Many college students rely on the effects of caffeine from energy drinks or coffee to support them through their busy schedules. Caffeine has many negative and positive effects and is commonly used as a stimulant. While the perpetual battle between coffee and energy drinks is predominantly based on taste preference, which is the healthier option to keep college students awake?

Children should consume less than 85 mg. of caffeine a day, and healthy adults should consume less than 400 mg. of caffeine. Pregnant women or people with some medical conditions are advised to limit caffeine consumption as much as possible. 

Energy drinks boast a wide assortment of drink options that vary in caffeine content. On average, energy drinks have 80 mg. of caffeine in an 8 oz. drink. Energy drinks pack caffeine into sweet and easy-to-guzzle amounts, allowing a rapid boost of enhanced performance. Most also include an amino acid called taurine, which has an anxiolytic effect and stabilizes energy crashes.

Comparatively, coffee typically has a slightly higher amount of 80 mg. to 100 mg. of caffeine in an 8 oz. drink. Coffee provides a steadier slope of caffeine to the consumer’s body instead of the spike and the parallel crash of energy of most energy drinks. Coffee brands offer a range of beans with varying caffeine amounts.

Energy drinks tend to include a high amount of sugar. An 8 oz. Red Bull contains 26 g. of added sugar, over half of the daily recommended amount. A can of Monster has 110 calories, most of which come from the high sugar content. Sugar-free energy drinks have grown in popularity as a healthy, energy-enhancing alternative. However, sugar-free energy drinks are not as simple as they sound. Sugar-free energy drinks can lead to dental erosion and digestive stress when packed with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose.

Coffee is naturally sugar-free and nearly calorie-free, with only 2 calories in an 8 oz. drink. However, many people prefer variations and extraction methods that alter the ingredients, such as a latte made of espresso and steamed milk. Cream or milk alternatives can be adjusted and will increase the calories. Likewise, the amount of sugar in a cup of coffee can be directly controlled and adapted to the consumer’s preference. Sugar-free sweeteners have risen in popularity and are now offered in most coffee shops and grocery stores.

While the exact amounts are not as simple to calculate as checking the nutritional facts on the back of an energy drink label, drinking coffee allows the consumer to choose the amount of sugar, calories, and additives in their drink. Many consumers consider these factors and prioritize them over caffeine content when choosing what they drink.

In a survey of ten students at Illinois Central College (ICC), six preferred coffee, four preferred energy drinks, and two disliked both. Most students who preferred energy drinks said they liked the flavor better. Abbey Kough, one of the coffee lovers offered a little insight into her preference between coffee and energy drinks.

“I prefer coffee to stay awake because I don’t feel like energy drinks do anything. Whenever I drink energy drinks, I don’t drink them for energy. I drink them because they taste good,” Kough said.

ICC East Peoria campus sells coffee at the Starbucks student lounge and energy drinks in many vending machines. The choice is yours.